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Images BY THE AUTHOR
It didn’t take long to find what they were after, a 1977 F-150 that she still owns to this day. Amazingly enough, they even found a Shelby Mustang G.T. 500 as well, both of which ended up as keepers in the Kendrick garage. But Patrick wanted something else, a truck that he could modify and bring up to date with a better powertrain and a more modern handling suspension underneath. For that particular ride, the couple didn’t have to look too far—it was sitting right next door to their previous homestead in Alabama, tucked away in their neighbor’s garage.
Turns out their neighbor had a low-mileage 1976 F-150 Ranger XLT that had been well-cared for during their ownership. With only 28,000 miles showing on the odometer, the ride was on the low side of miles driven, as it had been used infrequently for many years. Patrick got the opportunity to purchase the truck when the owner died, parking it in his garage at his new home in Texas for the time being. “Then I just went through basic mechanical work on the F-150 with my three-drawer toolbox. I did a tune-up, the brakes, A/C, door panels, and exhaust. Then I bounced around with the idea of a Godzilla swap, but I really wanted to keep some of the legacy of the truck.”
The long-distance discussions continued, ideas relayed between Patrick in Texas and Denlinger back in Pennsylvania. “We reviewed the basics of the build. He first sent me some pictures of his truck and told me he wanted to upgrade the suspension, rebuild, or replace the engine, and install Vintage Air,” Denlinger states.
Once the parameters were agreed upon, the truck was shipped off to Pennsylvania for its rebirth. “We immediately ordered a Ridetech coilover suspension and a set of Wilwood brakes and then got to work updating the truck. We lifted the bed and cab off the F-150 and stripped the chassis. Next, we mocked up the new suspension on the barren frame. When we got it where we were satisfied with the new setup, we tore it all down again and had the frame powdercoated. Once we got it back, we then reassembled the chassis,” Denlinger states.
Suspension upgrades are in the form of a complete Ridetech makeover kit, which includes the tubular front engine cradle, rack-and-pinion steering, and front coliovers that then eliminated the truck’s original I-beam suspension. Out back, the truck sits on a custom Ridetech four-link suspension, which works with the original big-bearing 9-inch rear built with a Truetrac posi and stuffed with 3.25 gears. The truck stops courtesy of Wilwood 13-inch six-piston brakes up front, with a set of 13-inch four-piston brakes out back. The wheels are American Racing Salt Flat Specials, 20×9.5 in front and 20×10 in rear. They are shod in Yokohama Parada Sport Truck tires, 275/40-20 and 275/45-20, respectively.
Next on the MAD Customs agenda was the powertrain. Patrick had once suggested a Godzilla Ford for the engine bay but later decided it would be better to rebuild the born-with 360ci engine. That original powerplant was then torn down and beefed up with a stroker kit, Edelbrock aluminum heads, and a Holley Sniper 2 EFI kit. This burly Ford is fed petrol by an Aeromotive tank, built with an internal fuel pump. Engine work was performed by the legendary Larry Roberts of Roberts Engine Development in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. Roberts is a well-respected Ford guy, widely known for his FE builds. Once the 415ci powerplant was completed and back at MAD Customs it was painted Ford Blue and readied for insertion.
After the drivetrain was set, the original Castillo Red paint was buffed out by the crew, which made for a beautiful patina-laced skin. The truck’s original “See-Cap” is in amazing shape and definitely something you don’t see every day. It was a keeper from the start, and just a little elbow grease was needed to make the cap look practically new. It was sold new through Sharon Enterprises out of Crestline, Kansas. Finally, the truck’s born-with interior was cleaned and stitched where needed and kept as original as possible. A set of Dakota Digital RTX gauges, set up in kilometers for life in Europe, was added to the dash to keep track of the vitals and a Vintage Air system takes care of the truck’s HVAC needs.
Once completed, the truck was shipped to Patrick’s location overseas where it will be in service for the foreseeable future. “My goal is to drive it until the tires fall off or when I cannot afford petrol. Classics are made to be driven, and often.” Denlinger would like to thank Patrick for putting his faith in him and MAD Customs for this long-distance build. A special shout-out goes to employee Vince Rocchino for taking the lead on this stunning F-150.
